Cell Phones

Prepaid 1 year with 16GB North America data monthly - $300 USD

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  • Jan 31st, 2024 1:45 pm
Deal Addict
Jun 7, 2009
1308 posts
1287 upvotes
Toronto
CheapoFillipo wrote: So I've had freedom for a year with my daughter and she frequently can't get messages to send in her iPhone (xr If that matters).
Anyone have other suggestions?
The second sim works in this context via always having a data connection to use wifi calling on via the primary AT&T sim, thereby not running into the no service / no messages issue that a person would have with only a freedom sim.
Deal Addict
Jun 7, 2009
1308 posts
1287 upvotes
Toronto
TorontoEh wrote: Sorry if this was answered I saw bits of it, but thos who have this activated can you kindly share feedback or add to the front page WIKI....I'm thinking of just cancelling my Koodo and getting freedom deal plus this deal.

Those who purely have this, how do you get your local 647/905 numbers b/c I'm sure people aren't inclined to call your US #
Give them your local Toronto textnow number as your contact.
Deal Addict
May 29, 2017
2628 posts
3024 upvotes
Canada
TorontoEh wrote: Sorry if this was answered I saw bits of it, but thos who have this activated can you kindly share feedback or add to the front page WIKI....I'm thinking of just cancelling my Koodo and getting freedom deal plus this deal.

Those who purely have this, how do you get your local 647/905 numbers b/c I'm sure people aren't inclined to call your US #

For someone considering VoIP Solution, Hushed Stacksocial $60USD Lifetime Plan has some great value in terms of usage, because you won't want to run out of SMS and/or data.....or they offer an unlimited plan for $47.99USD/year.

Great features that standout:
1) Call Forwarding to any CA/US #
2) Making outgoing calls via Call Management that initiates the call on hushed's system and calls your SIM # so you aren't dependent on Data.
3) 12500 / 2500 combined SMS / Calls [Combined not together so its a and/or situation].

Advantage of the Freedom Plan $129 Nationwide plan would be that it can use data from AT&T line when roaming -- as others have pointed out, just select a carrier that Freedom cannot roam with via the Manual Network Selection [It may eat your battery lightly more but worth it]

1) WiFi Calling
2) iMessage working with your #
3) Native calling / sms to your contacts rather than relying on AT&T line.

Until AT&T doesn't get VoLTE in Canada, I would stick to native carrier because 3G can be spotty and if you are in place with bad connection, it may not be worth cutting this many corners.

One of the cool things I have done is found a # from USA that is literally one digit off my local # in Canada as for obvious reason we don't share Area codes with USA, however city codes are same and last 4 digits same can be found in USA all over.

Example: 647 = ON Area code, 646 = NY Area code. Then you just find your same: xxx-xxxx :D
USA eSIM Free Trials Telus: $30/75GB CA/US x4 • $0 X00GB Bonus • $0 AW x2 • $0 CA/US Tablet SIM(x4) | Freedom: $27.50 30GB CA/1GB USA • $25/Year Unlimited T/T/7GB/Mo Data
Deal Addict
Apr 17, 2014
1129 posts
525 upvotes
Corunna, ON
Samshares wrote:
For someone considering VoIP Solution, Hushed Stacksocial $60USD Lifetime Plan has some great value in terms of usage, because you won't want to run out of SMS and/or data.....or they offer an unlimited plan for $47.99USD/year.

Great features that standout:
1) Call Forwarding to any CA/US #
2) Making outgoing calls via Call Management that initiates the call on hushed's system and calls your SIM # so you aren't dependent on Data.
3) 12500 / 2500 combined SMS / Calls [Combined not together so its a and/or situation].

Advantage of the Freedom Plan $129 Nationwide plan would be that it can use data from AT&T line when roaming -- as others have pointed out, just select a carrier that Freedom cannot roam with via the Manual Network Selection [It may eat your battery lightly more but worth it]

1) WiFi Calling
2) iMessage working with your #
3) Native calling / sms to your contacts rather than relying on AT&T line.

Until AT&T doesn't get VoLTE in Canada, I would stick to native carrier because 3G can be spotty and if you are in place with bad connection, it may not be worth cutting this many corners.

One of the cool things I have done is found a # from USA that is literally one digit off my local # in Canada as for obvious reason we don't share Area codes with USA, however city codes are same and last 4 digits same can be found in USA all over.

Example: 647 = ON Area code, 646 = NY Area code. Then you just find your same: xxx-xxxx :D
You lose your number if you don't call or text every six months. What happens after 6 months when you go to use the app again, are you assigned a new number or completely lose the lifetime service?
Deal Addict
May 29, 2017
2628 posts
3024 upvotes
Canada
proplayer44 wrote: You lose your number if you don't call or text every six months. What happens after 6 months when you go to use the app again, are you assigned a new number or completely lose the lifetime service?
"Phone numbers will expire if there is no usage for at least 6 months. You will be notified 48 hours before the 6-month expiry. Simply send an SMS or make a call to keep the number active."

When that happens your subscription ends....its only lifetime for as long as you keep it active....
USA eSIM Free Trials Telus: $30/75GB CA/US x4 • $0 X00GB Bonus • $0 AW x2 • $0 CA/US Tablet SIM(x4) | Freedom: $27.50 30GB CA/1GB USA • $25/Year Unlimited T/T/7GB/Mo Data
Deal Addict
Apr 17, 2014
1129 posts
525 upvotes
Corunna, ON
How fast do you find you eat up 6000 texts?

I have a work phone and it would be nice to separate my personal texts with wife and friends from work. I'm not a super texter but some convos can run long. Wondering if the 6000 text a year is enough. For sure 1000 minutes is enough. Does group texting work where multiple people appear and text back and forth in the same thread?
Deal Addict
May 29, 2017
2628 posts
3024 upvotes
Canada
proplayer44 wrote: How fast do you find you eat up 6000 texts?

I have a work phone and it would be nice to separate my personal texts with wife and friends from work. I'm not a super texter but some convos can run long. Wondering if the 6000 text a year is enough. For sure 1000 minutes is enough. Does group texting work where multiple people appear and text back and forth in the same thread?
It's sms OR talk, total combined, not 1+1 but 1 and 1 is just 1, not 2.

If you are ok with using a App, go for it, otherwise I would personally go with the freedom.
USA eSIM Free Trials Telus: $30/75GB CA/US x4 • $0 X00GB Bonus • $0 AW x2 • $0 CA/US Tablet SIM(x4) | Freedom: $27.50 30GB CA/1GB USA • $25/Year Unlimited T/T/7GB/Mo Data
Deal Addict
Apr 17, 2014
1129 posts
525 upvotes
Corunna, ON
Ya $100 a year is too much for what I need plus I'm in Sarnia, out of the Freedom area.

$25 US once sounded decent.


I already have a GV but some people complain they are texting a US number.
Member
Nov 2, 2018
232 posts
137 upvotes
I’m a month in and so far so good, going 3G twice but toggling airplane mode on and off fixes it right away. I have the Hushed lifetime promo, the highest tier, and so far voip is clear and good quality audio. Code activation text no probs at all.
Deal Addict
May 29, 2017
2628 posts
3024 upvotes
Canada
proplayer44 wrote: Ya $100 a year is too much for what I need plus I'm in Sarnia, out of the Freedom area.

$25 US once sounded decent.


I already have a GV but some people complain they are texting a US number.
Ya, too many plans in canada dont include US texting.....
USA eSIM Free Trials Telus: $30/75GB CA/US x4 • $0 X00GB Bonus • $0 AW x2 • $0 CA/US Tablet SIM(x4) | Freedom: $27.50 30GB CA/1GB USA • $25/Year Unlimited T/T/7GB/Mo Data
Deal Addict
Jun 7, 2009
1308 posts
1287 upvotes
Toronto
proplayer44 wrote: Ya $100 a year is too much for what I need plus I'm in Sarnia, out of the Freedom area.

$25 US once sounded decent.


I already have a GV but some people complain they are texting a US number.
Textnow?
Deal Addict
Apr 17, 2014
1129 posts
525 upvotes
Corunna, ON
souledge wrote: Textnow?
Good suggestion.
I was previously using that, on occasion it would drain the battery fast and I hated the ads. Plus if you don't use it in 30 ( if I remember correctly) days you lose the number.

I had paid a few months for the no ad version and was about to start paying again at one point but they increased the price way too much to remove ads.
Member
Jul 7, 2004
427 posts
246 upvotes
perfchris wrote: Both esim and physical sims can be activated from the comfort of your home.

been there done that
Please kindly explain how did you activate your physical sim or eSIM in Canada? The SIM card cannot get ATT signal in Canada until it is activated.
4x Freedom,$32.50 1x Rogers $0, 1x AT&T US$300/year
Deal Addict
May 29, 2017
2628 posts
3024 upvotes
Canada
net_essential wrote: Please kindly explain how did you activate your physical sim or eSIM in Canada? The SIM card cannot get ATT signal in Canada until it is activated.
You don’t need signal to activate….you do it online, make sure you top up / pay, have roaming enabled and it’ll get signal in Canada on the best network it can pickup first…..
USA eSIM Free Trials Telus: $30/75GB CA/US x4 • $0 X00GB Bonus • $0 AW x2 • $0 CA/US Tablet SIM(x4) | Freedom: $27.50 30GB CA/1GB USA • $25/Year Unlimited T/T/7GB/Mo Data
Member
May 15, 2018
249 posts
197 upvotes
not to hijack the thread but I found this service provider (already mentioned in RFD before but thread probably closed) in France that has pretty insane plans eur10/mo or eur20/mo that come with 25gb/mo roaming in north america as well as most of europe. Links below. My only issue is that I don't read French so I can't confirm whether they will require you to have majority of usage within any specific geographical area. If not it'll be a fantastic data plan for a lot of people. Can anyone help check the terms, please? and TIA.

eur10/mo: https://caraibe.free.fr/
eur20/mo https://mobile.free.fr/fiche-forfait-free
Member
Jul 7, 2004
427 posts
246 upvotes
Samshares wrote: You don’t need signal to activate….you do it online, make sure you top up / pay, have roaming enabled and it’ll get signal in Canada on the best network it can pickup first…..
It did not work for me. I have tried what you have said in the last month. My cousin's crredit card is on the file for activation. We actaully called AT&T customer service for help. AT&T cannot make it to work either.

The 2 problem I was facing when I was trying to get this AT&T 16GB prepaid plan.
1. Unable to pass thru credit card payment page. Tried all my 3 credit cards. None of them works.
2. Unable to activate the SIM card either by Physical or eSIM. I have tried the link from the posts in ihis thread. Also called AT&T customer services. The Iphone 12 can found signal from Rogers in Calgary. But cannot be activated at all.

I finally asked my cousin to sign up and mail the AT&T sim card to me. Then I send it back to US again becuase of I was not able to activate it. It got activated instantly when it inserted into an Iphone 6 in my father's friend's home at San Franciso.
The whole things is not as easy and almost impossible without help from US's relatives and friends.

Now my questions is how can I make the payment from my credit card when it get expired after one year?
4x Freedom,$32.50 1x Rogers $0, 1x AT&T US$300/year
Deal Addict
Apr 17, 2014
1129 posts
525 upvotes
Corunna, ON
net_essential wrote: It did not work for me. I have tried what you have said in the last month. My cousin's crredit card is on the file for activation. We actaully called AT&T customer service for help. AT&T cannot make it to work either.

The 2 problem I was facing when I was trying to get this AT&T 16GB prepaid plan.
1. Unable to pass thru credit card payment page. Tried all my 3 credit cards. None of them works.
2. Unable to activate the SIM card either by Physical or eSIM. I have tried the link from the posts in ihis thread. Also called AT&T customer services. The Iphone 12 can found signal from Rogers in Calgary. But cannot be activated at all.

I finally asked my cousin to sign up and mail the AT&T sim card to me. Then I send it back to US again becuase of I was not able to activate it. It got activated instantly when it inserted into an Iphone 6 in my father's friend's home at San Franciso.
The whole things is not as easy and almost impossible without help from US's relatives and friends.

Now my questions is how can I make the payment from my credit card when it get expired after one year?
Pay for it using CallingMart. It's paying in advance of the bill date with vouchers and the credit card never gets tapped. However ATT does require an active credit card be on file on the account.
Deal Addict
May 29, 2017
2628 posts
3024 upvotes
Canada
net_essential wrote: It did not work for me. I have tried what you have said in the last month. My cousin's crredit card is on the file for activation. We actaully called AT&T customer service for help. AT&T cannot make it to work either.

The 2 problem I was facing when I was trying to get this AT&T 16GB prepaid plan.
1. Unable to pass thru credit card payment page. Tried all my 3 credit cards. None of them works.
2. Unable to activate the SIM card either by Physical or eSIM. I have tried the link from the posts in ihis thread. Also called AT&T customer services. The Iphone 12 can found signal from Rogers in Calgary. But cannot be activated at all.

I finally asked my cousin to sign up and mail the AT&T sim card to me. Then I send it back to US again becuase of I was not able to activate it. It got activated instantly when it inserted into an Iphone 6 in my father's friend's home at San Franciso.
The whole things is not as easy and almost impossible without help from US's relatives and friends.

Now my questions is how can I make the payment from my credit card when it get expired after one year?
Why not just activate esim following my instructions?

Once you get to the payment page, you’ve already installed the esim profile if you made it that far, meaning a phone number is showing up on your phone under cellular. Use that number to help rep find your account.

Tell AT&T you are having issue making payment on website, website seems to not respond and they would process the payment manually. Beyond that if your credit cards are blocking transactions then that’s not AT&T, that’s your credit card issuer that is doing that and you may need to call them to allow the transaction to go through.

If your iPhone esim isn’t being accepted or the esim profile install not showing up on your iPhone when you try to do the setup then tell us that, don’t leave out vital details.

As for your cousin, why didn’t you just have him pay on your esim sccount? Why make him sign up for a whole different one? If you made it as far as installing esim profile, once again, number is assigned. With prepaid you can later change name on online profile it’s not permanently locked out
USA eSIM Free Trials Telus: $30/75GB CA/US x4 • $0 X00GB Bonus • $0 AW x2 • $0 CA/US Tablet SIM(x4) | Freedom: $27.50 30GB CA/1GB USA • $25/Year Unlimited T/T/7GB/Mo Data
Deal Addict
Apr 17, 2014
1129 posts
525 upvotes
Corunna, ON
Linhnd2000 wrote: not to hijack the thread but I found this service provider (already mentioned in RFD before but thread probably closed) in France that has pretty insane plans eur10/mo or eur20/mo that come with 25gb/mo roaming in north america as well as most of europe. Links below. My only issue is that I don't read French so I can't confirm whether they will require you to have majority of usage within any specific geographical area. If not it'll be a fantastic data plan for a lot of people. Can anyone help check the terms, please? and TIA.

eur10/mo: https://caraibe.free.fr/
eur20/mo https://mobile.free.fr/fiche-forfait-free
I found the contract in pdf and I tried to copy it to google translate but it's too long for GT. Hard to do from phone.

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